


Engineer of the Mob

by Raven_At_The_Writing_Desk



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:06:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21638566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raven_At_The_Writing_Desk/pseuds/Raven_At_The_Writing_Desk
Relationships: Cayrd/Frias
Comments: 8
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [iraya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iraya/gifts).



“I need him ALIVE!” Dolph slammed his fists on the desk. The sturdy wok creaked in protest as the whole structure shuddered. Dolph had the strength to rival a bear, but that wasn’t what made him so terrifying to his men. It was his percent for flying into rages like this and then snapping the offending man’s neck. 

“What about the others?” Dolph’s man asked. He spared the man a glare. 

“I. need. HIM. ALIVE!” 

Everyone scattered from the office. They stood outside the office as one brave soul stayed behind. 

“Dude,” Eli looked over at Vince. “I hate to leave Lucy in there, but fuck…”

Vince nodded his bushy head. 

“We should go.” Vince started to walk away, and Eli looked over his shoulder at the door. He heard something crash and feared going in. He liked Lucy, but…

The door opened and slammed shut. Lucy stood there, one eye going black and a rack ring on her neck. She wiped at her lip but showed no sign otherwise. 

“We need to find a doctor.” She said, walking past Eli. Eli gaped, looking from her back to the door. 

“Fuck,” he said, and followed after her.   
***  
Frias stepped outside to take in the winter air. As much as he missed the heat of the Philippines, the temperature of a busy emergency room was overwhelming. He disliked the cold, but tonight he needed a breather. He had two hours left on his shift, and he just needed a moment to himself. 

These 48 hour shifts were hard on him, not for any real reason beyond they prevented him from doing what he really wanted to do here. He was hunting, man-hunting. 

He chuckled a little at his personal joke and took another moment to inhale the nearly painfully crisp air. He closed his eyes as a blast of cold wind stung its way down the back ally retreat where all the doctors, nurses, and interns took their breaks outside. It was just him right now, the late hour and the cold weather kept everyone else inside. Hell, it should be keeping him inside, but he just wanted five damn minutes of quiet. 

He ground audibly when the ambulance pulled up in the ally. Its lights weren’t on, so he figured they were either lost or on break themselves. Still, he hadn’t wanted to share the quiet.  
A woman stepped out, she wasn’t dressed like an EMT that he’d seen. She had a warm coat and a scarf around her neck. It did nothing to hide her black eye and split lip. He felt his heart jump. Was she looking for help?

“Are you a doctor?” She called out to him, and he found himself walking over to her automatically. 

“Yes, Dr. Dagalak.” He said, reaching for his penlight to see her better. She could have a concussion with a black eye like that. “Are you alright?” 

Before he could register it, two other men jumped out of the ambulance, they grabbed him, and he was too surprised to even protest. He was bundled into the back of the bus and locked in.

“Hey!” He jumped up or the door, but was yanked back by a new man.

“Fix this.” Frias turned around, confused, and not comprehending. The man was tall, thin, and his longish hair dyed that was the yellow color the kids were playing with these days. Not that Frias had any room to talk, is own hair was pink, but he kept it tucked under a surgery cap. 

“Fix what?” He asked, looking form the tall man to a gurney in the back. He could bearly tell what he was looking at given the amount of blood on the man. He guessed it was a man, he was broad-chested and had a beard. 

“Good Lord, he needs the emergency room,” Frias stumbled over to the man, his brain already working on overdrive. He needed gloves and yanked a pair of purple disposable ones out of his pocket. He snapped them on and began to look the man’s wounds over. 

“That isn’t going to happen,” The tall man said. They all lurched slightly as the ambulance began to drive off, it’s siren blaring. Frias looked up, shocked all over again. 

“Are you kidnapping me?” He asked. The tall man, who looked tired and pale, like he was in pain. Just smirked at Frias. 

“You’re the smart one here, you tell me?” He sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Just make sure he lives, and you get to live too.” 

Frias swallowed and assessed the situation again. 

“I need an operating room, and it needs to be clean.” He said his gut twisting. Too much was happening, and he was starting o get a horrible feeling about the man he was working on. He looked too familiar for Frias’ nerves. 

“I’ll see what we can do,” The tall man said and moved to shoot orders up to the three others in the ambulance. Frias blanked his mind, he needed to work, needed to be detached. He looked for the worst of the blood and began to ransack the ambiance, using the supplies to pack the wound and stop the bleeding he could see. It looked like stab wounds, several, and usually, clustered like this, it wasn’t good. 

He filed that away and began hooking the man up to the vitals monitors int eh bus. He was thankful for his two years of working on the ambulances in the Philippines before coming here for his medical degree. That and his time in the emergency rooms of three specializing trauma hospitals had oddly prepared him for this moment. 

He got saline hooked up as the monitors began to beep out an unhealthy rhythm and did what he could to stabilize the man as the ambulance twisted around curves and blew through stoplights. 

“He’s going to need blood,” Frias called out, forgetting he didn’t’ have a team with him.  
  
“He’s AB positive,” the tall man said. “We’ll donate as needed.” 

Frias looked up at the man irritated, then looked around. There was a small fridge tucked in the lower half of the wall, it had several packs of blood in it. 

“That will probably do, but we may need more,” Frias grumbled. 

“What’s wrong with us?” The tall man actually sounded offended. 

“I don’t know, which is exactly why I don’t want to use your unfiltered, untested blood.” Frias just shook his head. Death threats or not, he was going to give this guy the best chance he could at surviving. Even if his friends were idiots.

“Harsh,” The Tall man grumbled. 

“The ambiance halted suddenly, and Frias felt a new rush of adrenaline go through him as he finally got a clear look at the man’s face. Dear God, there was no fucking way in hell…

“We’re at the vet,” The woman said as she yakked open the doors. “Eli will have us in a minute.”

The second guy that had grabber dim jumped in the back and assorted the first with moving the gurney.

“Come on, doc, you’ve got a night ahead of you.” The woman reached in and yakked his stunned ass along. 

“Cayrd?” Frias said the name on numb lips. The woman dragging him froze and looked at him. 

“Do we know you?” She asked, and he shook his head slowly. She frowned and began to drag him on. “Just keep him alive, or we’re all dead.” 


	2. Chapter 2

Frias walked on numb feet into the darkened Vet office. The gang that had kidnapped him appeared to be somewhat familiar with the space. Flipping on lights and rushing Cayrd back to the surgery area. Frias fought to clear his mind, he needed it to be clear. He was in an unfamiliar surrounding, and these people expected him to perform surgery. He couldn’t be distracted from what he needed by Cayrd’s sudden reappearance in his life. 

Not to mention Cayrd needed him. 

Lucy shoved him forward into the surgery theater, and he caught himself. 

“Go, do your thing,” She ordered. Frias managed to give her a scathing look over his shoulder and sniffed. 

“I need all four of you to scrub in then. There should be surgery mocks in the closet there and caps, and masks. Wash up to your elbows for a full minute under hot water and then put on gloves. Be throughout and be fast, you’re going to have to assist me.” Frias shook himself on last time mentally. This wasn’t the worst-case scenario for a surgery that he could think of, but it was pretty damn close. 

He began to follow his own directions, deciding to treat this like the many training surgeries he’d done with interns over the past few years. Even if these four weren’t even trained in basic first aid, and he was operating on Cayrd. 

*focus* he told himself. 

He was surprised that the four goons took directions well. They didn’t argue, and only asked questions when they had a legitimate problem. In about five minutes, he managed to have what almost looked exactly like a real surgery team. He nodded at the group, wished he’d have his Filipino love songs to listen to as he worked, especially at this time, and took a deep breath. 

“OK, let’s begin.” 

***

It took so much longer than Frias thought it should, but he eventually made the final suture stitch, and Lucy cut the string. He managed to hold himself together as he directed the group on how to clean up and dispose of things. Then he excused himself to the bathroom and locked himself in.

He sat down on the single toilet in the frilly bathroom and put his head in his antiseptic smelling hands. He felt tears gathering in his palms, and sniffed loudly. He was shaking, and he knew most of the emotions he was having were enhanced by simple fatigue, but he still didn’t want to be seen this way. He pulled off his surgery cap and ran water again to scrubby his face. He was hungry and tired and drained, and he still had these goons to deal with and Cayrd. 

Why did it have to be Cayrd? How was it Cayrd? Wasn’t he supposed to be some big-time engineer now? Hadn’t that been what he’d been studying in college?

There was a sharp Nick on the door. 

“Doc? We need to get moving,” It was Lucy, but her tone was a little less harsh than it had been. She was tired too, it seemed. 

“I’m coming,” Frias managed some fire in his voice, but he didn’t feel it. He steadied himself one more time, and then he opened the door. She looked him over with her black eye, and he sighed outwardly again. “Have you had your head checked?” He asked. Lucy snarled at him.

“What?” 

“You’re eye, I can see your cheek is offset, and your nose is crooked. You might have a concussion.” He gestured at her bruises, and her frown deepened. “If you have a concussion, you shouldn’t sleep too deeply for the next few hours, or you might not wake up.” 

“What are you, Dr. Death?” She rubbed at her good temple.

“Does your head hurt?” He asked. 

“Of course, it does!” 

“Are you nauseous?” 

She didn’t say anything, but he could tell. Frias nodded. “You need rest, but you also need to be monitored.” 

“I’ll monitor her,” The tall man, whose name turned out to be Perry, limped over. 

“You need to rest too,” Frias grumbled. “I can tell by your color, and you limp you’re injured, and I think it’s your ribs based on how you’re favoring your side.”

“Damn, he’s like Sherlock Holmes,” Eli said, Vince nodded. 

“We’re not banged up, we can watch them,” Vince said helpfully. He seemed to be the only one not injured.

“I know it’s not ideal, but Cayrd needs to be monitored too, and he should be moved. We really should stay here where I can access things if he develops any complications.”

“We can’t, the place opens in a few hours, and the Hurst is already here.” Lucy shook her head. “And I’m sorry, doc, but you need to come with us still.” 

Frias nodded. He’d expected as much. 

“Wherever we go next, we need to stay. He’s not going to recover if we keep moving.” Frias went to unhook Cayrd from the machines they had been using. He didn’t know why, but he made a point to set the devices back to where they had been before he’d adjusted them for Cayrd. 

The group moved slowly but got Cayrd, his gurney, and everyone in the group into the Hurst. He fought not to fall asleep as the Hurst slid through the dawn towards a destination he had no idea of. He lost that battle and was nudged awake by Eli. 

“Come on, Doc, we’re here.” Eli gestured as the icy cold from outside shocked Frias awake. It was getting into his bones now and making him cranky. Still, he crawled out and followed the rest of the crew into an impressively dark building. They went in through the service entrance and rode the meta service elevator to what seemed like the top. They got out, and Frias had to pause a moment. They were in a lavish entryway, polished natural-looking stone tile sprawled out before them leading towards a sea of plush looking green carpet. The walls were a solid color that was warm like pale sunlight and had a slight sparkle to them. Floor to ceiling windows lined the far wall and showed off an impressive view of the city. 

“Don’t run those nasty wheels over his carpet,” Lucy said. “It’ll just make him angry when he sees the stains.” 

“I think he’ll get over it this once,” Perry said, guiding Eli and Vince to push. Lucy made a disgusted sound as she reached behind her and pushed a small black button on the elevator. Frias looked puzzled, and she smirked. “It’s locked, you won’t get out that way.”

Just out of curiosity Frias reached out and pushed the down button. Nothing happened, and Lucy chucked at him. 

“Come on, we’ll get Cayrd situated, and then we can all get some sleep.” She led the way across the stone tiles to the carpet and paused to step out of her boots. Frias did the same with his Loafers and followed her around a corner to a well-appointed living space. Everything was nature-inspired, colors and textures were mimicking an Autumn woods. Art on the walls reflected that as well, even the shape of the furniture looked natural. 

Lucy walked past it like it didn’t even register to her anymore. Frias tried not to gawk, but he was too tired to be successful. 

“He spends a lot of time hiking and camping when he’s not working,” Lucy said. “He wanted to bring that home with him.”

“He liked to hunt,” Frias said, looking at an impressive set of deer antlers over the fireplace. Lucy stooped to look Frias over again. 

“How the hell do you know him?” Lucy asked. Frias stifled a yawn. He’d typically be embarrassed, but he was just so overwhelmed right now.

“We dated in college,” He said bluntly, then he started. He walked over to a picture that was in a simple gold frame. He looked it over, it was the cabin they had rented the last Autumn in college. They had spent Thanksgiving weekend in the cabin, hunting in the morning, and lounging around in the evening. There were no people in the picture, but two pairs of boots sat outside the front door on the simple porch. He knew them anywhere because he still wore the muck boots on the rare occasion he went camping on his own. Cayrd’s own larger pair rested against his, and nothing else hampered the porch. 

It was a simple picture of mundane items, and Frias felt his throat close up. They had broken up that winter. Not in any traumatic way, but Frias’ Visa was expired, and Cayrd had to go work for his new company. Frias had tired to suggest they get married, then he could stay and follow Cayrd to his new job, but Cayrd had said it was impossible right then. Maybe later. 

And Frias never heard from him again. 

“You need a moment?” Lucy asked something like compassion in her voice. He looked up at her, remembering where he was and why he was there. 

“I need to make sure he’s set up OK,” Frias said. Lucy nodded and led the way.

  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

Cayrd came too slowly. He wasn’t sure where he was, but he was sure he was in a lot of pain. It made him nauseous, and he wanted to roll over in case you needed to vomit. Just the thought of it made his stomach roll, which only cause more pain, he swore in a liquid groggy way. 

And then strong hands were under his head turning him into a bucket where he upended anything he’d eaten in the last day or two. He hoped that would have made his stomach hurt less, but now it felt more like it was on fire like they were scenes inside of him trying to rip apart.

“Open your mouth, and don’t swallow. Just wish the water around and spit it back out.” The voice was familiar and soothing. He did as he was told is cold water was squirted into his mouth. He swished it like mouthwash and spat it into the same bucket. Then he was gently laid back down his eyes, watering his head throbbing. “I’m just going to give you a little injection,” a sweet soothing voice said. “It will help you sleep some more.”

“I don’t want to sleep anymore,” he said, and he meant it. Even having horrible dreams, nothing he could really remember now that he was awake, except that they were painful, and they hurt, and he didn’t want to go back to them. He reached up to grab the hand that was holding his head. “Please don’t make me sleep anymore.”

The face, familiar yet strangely full unknown to him, looked at him with pity. It said nothing else, and somehow he felt the tiniest pinprick in his arm. His eyes fluttered again, as something warm spread through him, something that blissfully took the pain away. And he fell back asleep.

***

He woke again to the sounds of voices outside. He recognized Lucy’s she sounded angry, but that wasn’t new. The other two voices took him slightly longer to place. It was Eli and Vince. Two new people to his personal crew. He wasn’t sure about either of them yet, and from the sounds of it, neither was Lucy.

“He’s not coming here, Cayrd isn’t ready for guests,” Lucy was snarling.

“Dude, it’s not like we can tell him no,” Eli said. Cayrd imagined little guy flapping his arms up and down in the exaggerated way he talked. Eli was funny, and that saved his ass more than once. Cayrd didn’t need to know who they were talking about, they could figure it out on his own. 

Dolph would want to see him, want to know how he fucked up, want to punish him for it. Cayrd struggled slightly in bed to push himself into a sitting position. He was tired of laying down, and his stomach ached like it he’d done too many crunches in a row.

“Slow down,” that voice said again. A voice so familiar and precious to him, he’d heard it every time his attention drifted in a crowd. It always made his head snapped around, and it never was who was supposed to be. He swallowed and turned towards the inevitable. Expecting the face of someone who wasn’t Frias.

Frias gave him a small smile. It wasn’t exactly friendly, but it wasn’t bad either.

Cayrd blinked slower. Obviously, whatever drugs have been given were taking a while to wear off. 

“I just want to sit up,” he said to whoever it was who is currently wearing Frias’ image. He was helped to sit up, and pillows were piled behind his back.

“You’re still not good to move around too much,” Frias said.

“What if I need to pee?” he asked in the snaky way he had. Frias gave him a rueful smirk, and it was so much like the Frias he remembered it actually made his heart sting a bit. He really needed these drugs to wear off her he was going to get into one of his moods.

“You’ve been out for three days, I imagine you probably do have to pee.” Frias gestured at a walker that had been unfolded next to the bed. “I’ll help you to and from the bathroom, but you really shouldn’t do more than that. I’ll give you a sponge bath later on today, but you can’t have any baths or showers for a few more days and afraid.”

“Why?” Cayrd asked, blinking his eyes, why wouldn’t they clear up? Why wouldn’t this is fade away? Was he hallucinating this hard? Was this person even here?

Cayrd reached out and grabbed the shoulder of the man standing beside him. The guy felt solid enough. Frias put a hand over Cayrd’s and patted it in a soothing way.

“Other than the obvious, how do you feel?” Frias asked again with that softly, sad smile.

“I see things,” Cayrd admitted. “And my stomach muscles are on fire.”

“You’re seeing things?” Frias asked looking into his eyes as if checking for something. “Can you follow my finger?” he began to wave his index finger back and forth in front of Cayrd’s face. Cayrd traced it with his eyes, and Frias looked deeply into the sides of them. Cayrd had no idea what he was checking for, but he felt like he was doing a sobriety test.

Frias next pulled out a small penlight and shined it into Cayrd’s eyes, watching his pupils dilate. 

“You’re responding well, does your head hurt?” 

“No,” It was probably the only thing on Cayrd that didn’t hurt. 

“What are you seeing then? What you hallucinating?” Frias sat down beside Cayrd’s bed, his arms resting on the mattress. Cayrd watched him move as the man relaxed. It was familiar in the way old lovers were. He and Frias had spent almost 3 years together while they been in college, slowly increasing the time they spent together from the point they met to the point Cayrd left. 

He knew he’d been the one to leave even if it had been Frias who had returned to the Philippines. He could’ve done a lot of things to stop it, he could’ve gone after Frias god knew he had the money. But he hadn’t, and those were choices he had made consciously, and they haunted him every day since.

“I’m seeing people who aren’t there,” Cayrd said, starting to get used to seeing Frias, and slightly wondering if it was mind trying to comfort him.

“People?” Frias tipped his head and gave Cayrd a once over. “Who do you think you’re hallucinating?”

“An old lover.” Cayrd sat back and turned his head away closing his eyes relaxing against the pillows. “You look like one of my old lovers.”

He heard what sounded like a bitter laugh.

“One of?” the man who looked like Frias replied. “Do I even want to know how many you had since we broke up?”

Cayrd’s eyes snapped open, and he turned his head to quickly. Pain raced up from his core to his head and back down to his toes. He couldn’t help the grunt that came out of them. Was he having audible hallucinations now too? Was that even a thing?

“What the hell kind of drugs did you give me?” he snapped. “This ain’t funny, Lucy!”

He called out in a moment later the door opened. The familiar woman stuck her head in, and he could see the bruise covering half of her face. He felt his gut clench and then twist in pain. What the actual FA RC had happened while he was unconscious?

“You’re awake,” she smiled through the ugly bruise on her face. “How are you feeling?”

“Like you look,” he said, still gawking. Her smile twisted a bit, and she laughed.

“Well good to know we all feel like shit then.” She came into the room, closing the door behind her. Cayrd could see Eli and Vince trying to get a glimpse of them. He rested back, wanting to know more about how Lucy got that bruise.

“What happened? And who is this guy?” Cayrd pointed at Frias, who looked at him in sheer amazement. Lucy looked confused as well, her eyes darting between the two of them.

“He said he knew you,” she said, her eyes resting hard on Frias. “He knew your name.”

“I do know him,” Frias stood up, looking angry. It was an expression he didn’t wear often. Cayrd both loved and hated it. Loved it because Frias looked so amazing lit within by that fire that was his rage and hated it because it was often directed at him, and he’d fucked up something. “Are you trying to say you don’t know me?” Frias snapped at him.

Cayrd felt his brain do a loop the loop. He looked at Lucy, confused, then looked back at Frias, still not able to believe what he was seeing.

“If you’re who I think you are, you should be in the Philippines,” Cayrd said the words slowly, testing them as he spoke. Maybe he was still asleep, and this was a dream?

“I got transferred to the states again, I’m teaching at the hospital. Working in the trauma wards and emergency rooms, where I was a few nights ago before your goons kidnapped me.” Frias’ fists clenched at his side, his face flushed with anger, his eyes bright. Cayrd felt the familiar sense of awe go through him at the sight of it all. Hell, Frias was pretty.

“You got transferred back here? Back to the city?” Cayrd still wouldn’t believe it, he wouldn’t let his brain believe it.

“I thought you were going out West to work for your company?” Frias growled at him. “I thought you were leaving the area, you couldn’t take me with you remember? The company wouldn’t let you have a husband?”

“Husband?” Lucy echoed the word watching the whole thing unfold. Cayrd looked at her, and she appeared amused by the situation. She would be.

“I did go, I was in Colorado for a while, I came back.” Cayrd didn’t want to go into too many details, the only two people in the room who needed to know those details knew them. Lucy barked out a laugh.

“This is the guy?” Lucy laughed again. “This is the guy you were mourning over?”

“I wasn’t morning,” Cayrd grumbled as I still fixed on a tight line of Frias’ mouth. He was desperate and didn’t trust his brain. He looked at Lucy imploringly. “He’s real? This guy is really standing here? He really has pink hair and blue eyes?”

“Yeah, he’s really a doctor, or at least is really good at faking it as he stitched your ass back together.” She was grinning with all of her teeth and laughing silently. “So do you know him or not?” she laughed, she already knew the answer.

Cayrd felt the floor drop out from below him, he felt like he was in free fall. His head swam, and he reached out on instinct, grabbing for Frias’ arms.

“You’re really here?” he forced the words out even though his head was ringing and his stomach’s singing with pain. The look on Frias’ face went from anger to concern.

“Relax,” Frias said, pushing Cayrd back. “Take a breath and relax.”

“Can’t,” Cayrd said it was hard for him to breathe all of a sudden. So many things were surfacing all at once, among them panic. If Frias was here, then he wasn’t safe. “You can’t be here,” he managed. Blackness threaten to take him and he rested his head back on the pillows the room swimming around them. “You shouldn’t be here.” Was the last thing he said before he passed out.

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

“Why would he say that?” Frias asked Lucy after they had stabilized Cayrd. Frias had sedated him, he needed Cayrd to rest and not get too stressed out. 

“I don’t know.” Lucy shrugged. “My guess would be the boss.”

“His boss?” Frias held Cayrd’s hand since Lucy didn’t seem to mind. She leaned on the wall and just watched. 

“He's all our bosses really, but Cayrd is kinda like our manager. The boss really likes him and has put a lot of money into Cayrd. Training him and stuff. I think he’s grooming him.” She shrugged. 

“For what?” Frias asked. Lucy gave him a dry look, and then her eyes drifted to Frias’ hand. Frias blushed. 

“It's no secret Cayrd will sleep with anything, but I think that’s just a cover. If he stays busy chasing ass, then the boss thinks he’s not ready to “settle down.” She made air quotes. “Cayrd plays dumb, and the boss lets him. He and I both know it’s just a matter of time, though, before the boss starts making demands that Cayrd will have to honor.” 

“Oh,” Frias felt his hand tighten over Cayrd's. It was a reflex. 

“You don’t want to fuck with the boss,” Lucy said, seeing the movement. 

“R-right,” Frias turned his attention to Cayrd’s face, battered as it was. He knew it was just dumb luck he’d found Cayrd this easily. But now that he had, nothing else changed. He still wanted Cayrd back, and he still was willing to do whatever it took to get him back. He just hadn’t dreamed it would be like this. He thought it was just a simple case of showing Cayrd that he still loved him, not figuring out how to rescue him from a mob boss. 

“I don’t mean to be rude, but the best you could hope for here is being a side piece. The boss would never accept anything more.” Lucy pushed away from the wall. “Sorry.” 

She left them then, and Frias sat, a burning fire in his chest. He’d come so far, he didn’t want to give up now. But the price was a lot more than he’d anticipated. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but he was going to come up with something.


	5. Chapter 5

Cayrd woke up feeling like his mouth was full of dried vomit and cotton. He swallowed and his throat clicked. 

“Just swirl this in your mouth, and spit it out,” Frias said from beside him, holding a cup of water with a bendy straw. Cayrd sighed. His nightmare was real, Frias was here. 

He did as he was instructed and swished the water around, spitting it out into the bin Frias provided. Frias let him drink the rest. It was the best water he’d ever drank.

“Yer still here?” He said, and his gravelly voice made him sound more irritate than he was. Frias gave him a tight smile. He started to say something, and then the bedroom door opened. 

Cayrd felt his stomach drop again at the tall scared man who walked in. Dolph was dressed well in a tailed suit of deep charcoal that complemented his rusty blond hair that was clipped close to his scalp. He gazed down at Cayrd with one good green eye, a long healed gash ruining his other. 

“Feeling better yet?” Dolph growled as he walked over, Lucy behind him giving Frias a warning look. Cayrd watched in amazement as Frias stood up, and cast his gaze down. It was almost like he was fading into the background, and it worked. Dolph didn’t even look his way. 

“Don’t know, Ah just woke up.” Cayrd shifted and stifled a wince. He was sore, but not exactly in pain.

“You’ve been out fer a week.” Dolph stood over Cayrd like a drill Sergent. Cayrd managed a smile. 

“Ah should be dead.” Cayrd pointed out. 

“Yes, Lucy pulled ya back from the dead.” Dolph gave Lucy a sideways glare. Nothing betrayed her thoughts on her broused face. Dolph sighed a bit and looked back at Cayrd. “Good to see ya alive.” 

“Same,” Cayrd nodded. “Ya here just ta check on me?” 

Dolph did look over at Frias now, and Frias didn’t even hesitate. He scampered out of the room, closing the door quietly. 

“That twink doc treating ya well?” Dolph asked. 

“Wouldn’t know, I’ve been unconscious.” Cayrd didn’t even have to lie this time. “AH really just woke up.” 

“The project,” Dolph said, his voice all business. “It’s falling apart.” 

“Ah guessed.” Cayrd looked over at Lucy again who nodded. 

“We’ve been monitoring it so you could be brought up to date.” She held up a large envelope. Cayrd gestured for her to bring it over. 

“Ahm not sure how much I can do from this bed,” Cayrd said after flipping a few pages. “Ah need ta get a little hands on.”

“Let me know what ya need.” Dolph turned to look at Lucy now. “Give us a minute.” He said. Lucy didn’t flinch and just left. Cayrd felt a dead wash over him. Dolph bent over and kissed Cayrd deeply. He held Cayrd’s head in place. He pulled away with a grimace. 

“Told ya, haven’t had time ta brush,” Cayrd chuckled. Dolph shook his head. 

“Ya looked dead, I thought ya were.”

“Takes more than an ambush to kill me.” Cayrd relaxed back on his bed. Dolph shook his head again. 

“Webber has overstepped his bounds this time. I’m gonna kill him fer good.” 

“Weber came after me ta get ta you,” Cayrd pointed out. It was true and they both knew it. “They know Ahm yer weak point.” 

“Am I that transparent?” Dolph asked with a smile. “It would be easier ta keep ya safe it you’d just stay with me.”

“Neither of us want that,” Cayrd said pretending to be engrossed int eh file again. “Ah like the strange, and you don’t wanna listen to it. Besides You need me in the field.”

“I could just tell you no more side ass,” Dolph said darkly. “Ah can keep ya satisfied and you know it.” 

“Ain't about that,” Cayrd said. Dolph grunted. They knew that their relationship was a complicated one. Cayrd didn’t love him, and Dolph was determined to connive him he did. “Give me another day ta relearn how a walk, and All have a plan of action fer this.” He waved the folder and Dolph sighed. 

“Get better, AH want yer ass once before ya ship out.” Dolph grinned and left the room. Cayrd swallowed the idea away. It wasn’t that Dolph wasn’t good in bed, he was. Cayrd just didn’t want him. Not like he wanted the man who stepped in next. 

“He said to get you walking by tomorrow.” The frown on Frias’ face made it clear what he thought of that. “You’re not going to be healthy enough for travel by the end of the day.” 

“Huh, guess yer gonna have ta go with me in order ta keep me in one piece.” Cayrd put the folder down. Frias glared at him.

“Whether or not I go with you is beside the point. You’re still healing. You could get a blood clot if you fly.” Frias crossed his arms. 

“Then we’ll take a bus,” Cayrd rolled his eyes. “I need you near me so I can keep you safe now.” 

“Safe?” Frias blinked at him. “Oh, from your boss?” 

“Yes,” Cayrd rolled his eyes. “Lucy tell ya?” 

“Yes, and he’s been here to check on you earlier this week.” Frias moved closet to Cayrd. “Other than your boss, what is he to you?” 

Cayrd looked up at him, a little smile tugging his lips. 

“Why? Jealous?” 

A light flared in Frias’ eyes. 

“Yes,” He said. Cayrd’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t expected such a blunt answer. 

“Well get over it, once Ahm healed up and yer far enough away, we’re shipping you back to the Philippines where yer safe.” 

“I’m not leaving again without you,” Frias said standing his ground Cayrd gave him another look. Frias had never been a pushover, but he wasn’t this bold either. It was…hot.

“If Ah go with you, he’ll follow. Please understand me when Ah say, he’ll kill you.” Cayrd locked eyes with Frias willing him to understand. Frias smiled back at him. 

“He can try,” Frias walked over to Cayrd taking the folder from him and closing it. “I’m not as delicate as you are.” 

“Ah ain't delicate,” Cayrd grumbled. “And Dolph makes everyone dead, eventually.” 

“Do you want away from him?” Frias asked, sitting on the bed beside him. 

“Yeah, I want me, mah people, and you away. And the only way that’ll work is if Ahm not near ya.” Cayrd Laird a hand over Frias’. Frias covered it with his own. 

“Let’s get you healthy first, then we’ll get you away.” Frias gave him a look at made Cayrd think that just might be possible. 

“Sure Doc,” Cayrd would let him think like that a while. Then he’d have Lucy and the others get him away. 


End file.
